


Too Human

by MissBoaBoa



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anal Sex, BAMF Tony Stark, Begging, Blood and Gore, Bottom Steve Rogers, Dirty Talk, Falling In Love, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gaslighting, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Steve Rogers, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Memory Alteration, Parent Steve Rogers, Past Abuse, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Porn With Plot, Pre-Iron Man 1, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Stony - Freeform, Superfamily (Marvel), Tony Stark Has A Heart, Top Tony Stark, tony stark to the rescue, unintentional hurt, unintentional rape
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:55:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23180563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissBoaBoa/pseuds/MissBoaBoa
Summary: Tony Stark receives a gift from his co-worker.A doll programmed to do whatever its master demands.Though this doll might have some very disturbing and hidden secrets lingering in the deepest part of its partly erased memory.Just a simple one shot with more plot than intended. Might add another chapter with a BAMF Tony if people are interested :)NOW WRITING MORE CHAPTERS.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Obadiah Stane, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 118
Kudos: 223





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> To my dearest fellow Marvel Lovers,
> 
> Thank you all for trying out this fic. I truly hope you enjoy it :)  
> I would like to warn you for the tags and archive warning though!  
> Also, this is not meant to be a DarkTony fic... though I don't want to spoil so you'll just have to read and judge for yourself ^^

Tony stared at the massive box that was delivered on his front porch, a frown on his face. The crate was slightly bigger than he was, the boxing revealing no name nor address.

‘The fuck is this?’ he mumbled as the delivery guy searched through his papers.

‘Don’t know sir, but if you could just sign this form, that would be great.’ He held out a yellowish paper, barely meeting the billionaire’s eyes as he stared from under his cap. He had a sluggish posture, loudly chewing his bubblegum as he just seemed completely done with his job, and his life for that matter.

‘Pfff-fine,’ Tony grumbled, signing the somewhat sticky form and letting the guy through to set the box inside his house.

Whatever was in it must be heavy, for the scraggly man had to use all his strength to wheel the box inside. The stranger huffed before walking out, sand and dirt falling from his shoes and staining the marble floor.

The playboy let out a heavy sigh after closing the door and turned his gaze back to the object in question. ‘J? Analyze please. What are we dealing with? Angry ex? Bomb? Though chances are that there’s a connection between those two.’

‘Analyzing content, sir.’ The calming voice of the AI echoed through the room. ‘Analyze complete. Content seems to be hybrid, a fusion of both biological and inorganic material.’

This new information only sparked more questions. Tony observed the box, fingers itching to open it. ‘So… nothing dangerous? Can you tell me who it’s from?’

‘No explosive material detected. Sending all information to your tablet. As for its sender,’ The AI remained silent for a moment. ‘It seems to be coming from mister Stane.’

‘Obi?’ he searched through his tools for a crowbar. ‘You sure?’

‘There’s a note on the top of the box, sir.’

‘Ah… Yeah, of course there is.’ The man mumbled as he had to step on a chair to reach it. ‘Jokes about my height never get old, huh?’ His name was written on the front of the note. He turned it to find a short message;

_Tony,_

_I know you don’t have a lot of time to fool around, so I hope this present will help you blow off some steam._

\- _Stane_

‘…The fuck-? Whatever is in here, I already feel like sending it back.’ He took a deep breath before prying the box open using a crowbar. It fell apart like a house of cards the moment the first couple of nails were pulled out.

Tony coughed as the room filled with dust, his eyes then widening as he stared at the “present” his coworker send him.

Standing in front of him, wearing nothing but a tight dark blue bodysuit, was a man. The playboy froze, not wanting to see the look on his own face as he stared at the divine body in front of him. The man was tall, hair blond and shoulders broad. His waist was small, legs strong and every muscle clearly visible beneath the suit. His eyes, however, were still closed.

Tony hastily reached for his phone after a few seconds of breathless staring, his eyes never truly averting from the object in front of him.

“ _Tony?”_

‘Obie!’ There was both relief and bewilderment in the playboy’s voice. ‘What the fuck is this?!’

“ _What do you mean? You’ve gotta be a little more specific than that, kid._ ”

‘This!’ he turned his call into a video chat and showed the present standing in his common room. ‘What the actual _fuck_ is this?!’

“ _Ah! I see you got my present_!” the older man laughed, his short white beard covering none of his smile. “ _Isn’t it an amazing piece of engineering? It’s a service bot, capable of doing each and everything you ask of it. Or at least incapable of refusing. Believe me, I’ve tried._ ”

Obadiah laughed again, sending shivers down Stark’s spine. ‘Why did you get this for me? It’s- _really_ creeping me out.’

Stane sighed, his jolly expression turning grim. “ _Look kid, to tell you the truth, I’ve noticed you are way too tense these last couple of months and I want this bot to take some of the work off your shoulders. You know, let him help you, make sure you can relax a little._ ” The smile returned on his face, though it was more of a fiendish grin. “ _In whatever way you need_.”

‘Wait… you want me to- Is this a sex doll?!’

“ _It is what it is,_ ” Obadiah shrugged. “ _Now listen, why don’t you just turn it on and take it for a spin, huh? Use it to tidy your garage or clean your toilet or suck your dick, just- try it out. I’m sure you’ll like it._ ”

Stane hang up before Tony even had a chance to comment. He watched his phone a second longer and listened to the beeping of a dead line before turning to his present again.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and walked a little closer. ‘Try it out, huh… I don’t even know how to-’ Tony growled a little in frustration as he searched the body for a switch or button yet found none. He then froze for a second, his hand lingering just above the doll’s bicep.

He gently caressed its shoulder, his fingers trailing down towards its wrist. He expected it to feel cold and hard yet was pleasantly surprised by the soft and warm texture. It truly was an amazing piece of engineering.

It was only then that he noticed the dog tag hanging around the doll’s neck. He tilted his head and mumbled its name; ‘Steven… G.… Rogers…’

The doll’s eyes flew wide open, gazing directly at the man in front of him. Tony held his breath, the doll’s eyes were dull, a white haze glazing blue eyes. It left him breathless.

‘Uh… Rogers?’

The doll merely kept staring.

‘Okay, creepy. Definitely creepy.’ Tony rubbed his eyes as he let himself fall on his couch. Surely the doll looked amazing. It was almost indistinguishable from a real human. Its soft skin, its body heat, the way its chest moved as if to breath.

And yes, he even had to admit that he would not mind trying it out in the bedroom.

But there was just something about it that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. That something being its dull and milky eyes.

The playboy sighed, feeling the start of a migraine settling in his head. He grumbled softly, ‘Uhg, fuck me…’

Tony’s eyes flew wide open, a muffled yelp ringing in the back of his throat as he was pushed back into his couch, hands holding his shoulders, lips crashing against his own. It took him only a split second to identify the strong body lingering over him.

He pushed the machine from his lap and jumped to his feet. He panted, his mind still racing over whether to be shocked or aroused. ‘Why-?! Don’t you-!’ he stammered, then took a deep breath to try and collect himself. ‘Why… Did you do that?’

The doll remained silent, though it did look like it was genuinely trying to answer its owner’s question.

‘What’s wrong? Can’t talk? Don’t have a voice box?’

The doll nodded eagerly. It opened its mouth, trying to speak but had to close it again.

Tony ignored the fact that for a split second he could see the doll’s, the _machine’s,_ frustration. ‘Okay, so what? You on mute or something?’ Tony sighed deeply as the doll nodded, perching his hands on his hips. ‘Unmute. Now tell me, what the hell was that all about?’

‘You said, “fuck me.”’ The doll stated matter-of-factly. ‘So I did as you wanted, master.’

The billionaire’s heart skipped a beat at the rough, Brooklyn accent. ‘I feel retarded for asking you this, but… You really are, like, a robot, yes? No emotions or whatever?’

‘Right. I am a mechanical device that is capable of performing a variety of tasks on command or according to instructions programmed in advance.’ The bot took a deep breath before continuing. ‘I am incapable of feeling any form of sentiment.’

‘I see,’ Tony looked down at the machine sitting on his couch, his mind wondering towards promiscuous thoughts as he still felt the blond’s lips on his own.

‘So, your name,’ he pointed at the dog tag. ‘Steven, right? I’m gonna call you Steve. ‘T suits you.’ Tony raised a brow, wondering why he was having a conversation with a sex doll. Yet he had to admit that talking with the blond did feel very natural and easy. It was like talking to Jarvis, or even another human.

‘Yes, master.’

The doll’s words send a shiver down Tony’s spine, his cock slowly erecting in his pants. He could certainly get used to the blond’s accent and deep voice. ‘Come here, Steve,’ he waited for it to stand in front of him, his eyes trailing every line and curve of its perfect body. ‘So, you’re here to please me, huh? Give me a good time?’

‘I will do each and everything you require from me,’ Steve nodded. ‘Including providing carnal pleasure.’

‘Fancy words for a bot,’ Tony stepped forward and grinned against the doll’s lips, his goatee prickling the other’s skin. ‘You are one amazing piece of machinery you know that, Rogers? I have to admit, can’t wait to get my hands on you. Both in bed and on my workshop table.’ He waited a little impatiently for the bot to react, ‘Come on, doll. Show me what you’ve got.’ He placed his hands on top of Steve’s and guided them to rest on his hips, his voice husky as he whispered in the machine’s ears; ‘Provide me with carnal pleasure.’

Steve tilted his head, his lips pressing against Tony’s neck and slowly moving down towards his shoulder, leaving a trail of gentle kisses. His arms wrapped around Tony’s waist, pulling him closer against his body. He panted softly against his owner’s skin, teeth gently biting at his shoulder.

‘God, you really are made for this, huh?’ Tony nearly growled, one hand roaming down the blond’s back, the other resting in the back of his neck. He pulled himself free with a devious grin as he felt Steve’s hand moving towards his crotch. ‘I’m gonna take the lead for now, Rogers. Don’t really trust you just yet.’

‘Yes, master.’

Tony’s smile disappeared as the doll gazed at him. ‘I can’t wait to take you apart in my workshop and fix those creepy eyes of yours though…’

Steve froze for a second, ‘I’m sorry that my looks gross you out like that...’

The scientist knew it was programmed to apologize, yet he found himself amazed by the sincerity bleeding through its words. ‘Don’t worry. I know just how to fix it. At least for the time being.’ He quickly grabbed a scarf that was hanging from the coat rack and covered Steve’s eyes. ‘There, much better.’

The blond seemed so helpless, waiting patiently for its master to tell him what to do next. Tony wanted to rip Steve’s suit off right then and there. ‘Come on, doll.’ He grabbed his hand, guided him into the bedroom and pushed him on the bed.

‘You’re programmed, right?’ he impatiently pulled the machine out of the sorry excuse that were his clothes. ‘I want you to tell me you want me. Beg for me. Can you do that?’

The doll swallowed but eventually nodded, its fingers digging into the sheets. ‘Please. Please, master.’

‘Please what, Rogers?’ Tony grinned as he admired every inch of Steve’s body, his fingers trailing down the man’s perfect abs. ‘Tell me what you want.’

‘I want you. Please,’ Steve let out a shaky breath, his cock twitching between his legs. ‘I want- want you to… to…’

‘Hmm,’ The smile on the man’s face turned almost sinful in lust, though there remained a certain fondness in his eyes. There was just something so adoring about seeing the bot try. ‘Guess your code isn’t all that perfect after all. Looks like I got my work cut out. Try again, Steve. Try finding different words.’

‘I would like for you to- to-’ Steve’s chest rose sharply in a gasp as Tony wrapped his fingers around his cock, moving it up down agonizingly slow before prying his legs apart.

‘Don’t worry, Rogers. I know what you want.’ He smiled gently, vulgar words whispered soothingly; ‘You want me to fuck you. You want me to fill you and ride you till you are nothing but a drooling, moaning mess.’ Tony grabbed the doll’s wrists and roughly pushed them into the matrass above the man’s head. ‘You want me to take full control. To leave you utterly helpless as I make you scream and beg for more.’ His grip on the machine’s dick tightened, causing the doll to squirm and whimper.

Tony smiled and pressed a gentle kiss against Steve’s soft, soft lips. ‘That’s what you want, isn’t that right doll?’

‘… Yes,’ Steve whispered and nodded, letting Tony bring his knees up to his chest. He registered the playboy’s hands moving from his legs to his hips, fingers never lifting from his skin. ‘Please… master. That is a-all I want.’

‘Well, if you’re really that desperate,’ The scientist pressed precious kisses against his inner thigh, slowly moving towards the doll’s entrance. His nails soon followed, dragging them across artificial skin yet still leaving red stripes. Tony admired them for a second before pressing a finger into the bot’s body. ‘Fuck, you’re so tight,’ He murmured as Steve let out a restrained moan. ‘Don’t worry baby. I’m gonna work you open, nice and slowly.’

Tony’s finger moved in and out, gentle at first yet soon caught more speed. He added a second finger, biting his lip as the doll underneath him started to squirm and beg for more. ‘You like this, Rogers?’

‘Y-yes master,’ Steve panted, perfectly following the playboy’s orders of telling him how much he wanted him. ‘Please give me more. Kiss me. F-fuck me. Please!’

Tony crashed his lips against the doll’s, his tongue forcefully entering its mouth. ‘I’ll give you more, doll.’

He crawled to the other end of the bed and opened the drawer of his nightstand in search of a condom. He managed to find one underneath a pile of forgotten SI files, lubricated and cherry flavored. He never really liked them all that much, yet he was rather safe than…

Safe…

He glanced back at the blond, at the _robot_.

Steve lay completely still on his back, waiting for Tony to return or tell him what to do. ‘Master…?’

The vulnerability in the doll’s voice made Tony toss the condom over his shoulder and dive straight for the blond’s lips. Steve was a robot after all. He would not need a condom, nor lube. ‘Don’t worry, baby. I’m still here.’ He quickly undressed himself, not caring where his clothes would land as he threw them across the bedroom. He settled between the machine’s legs, feeling the heat coming from its artificial body. ‘I’ll take good care of you.’

A careful smile formed on Steve’s face, the blindfold still covering his eyes. He seemed… relieved, though Tony was too engulfed in his own pleasure to really notice. ‘Maste-’

Steve’s voice was cut short as Tony thrusted into him without warning. An obscene moan parted from the playboy’s lips as he savored the doll’s heat. ‘Fuck, you’re so tight.’ He panted, rocking his hips back and forth in slow motions. ‘You feel so good baby, so _fucking_ good.’

Tony’s movements picked up speed, the sound of skin slapping and the playboy’s moans breaking the silence of the bedroom. The smell of sweat and sex filled the air, though soon another scent mixed in as well. A scent Tony could not quite grasp.

‘This what you want, doll? For me to fuck you into the matrass? To keep pounding into you till you can’t fucking walk anymore?’ Proving his point, Tony slammed his hips forward, burying his cock deep into the machine’s tight heat.

Steve parted his lips, his voice soft, words coming out slowly. ‘Y-es… mast-er. Ple...ase... fill m-e up.’

Tony closed his eyes as the muscles in his stomach tightened. The doll’s ass slicking up. The playboy blissfully assumed it was caused by his precum, having no idea that the machine had started to bleed long ago.

It didn’t take long for Tony to be pushed over that edge, filling the doll with his cum. He would have felt ashamed at how quick he came had Steve been human.

He gave a few more gentle thrusts, making sure that every drop would be utterly spend into Steve’s body. He panted heavily, his entire body trembling in heavenly pleasure. He let himself fall on top of the doll, catching his breath. ‘Fuck that was amazing.’

It took Tony a few minutes to realize that the blond had been awfully quiet. He pushed himself up, skin sticking against Steve’s as it was covered in a thin layer of sweat. ‘Rogers?’

The doll didn’t react, other than to hold its breath.

Tony frowned and moved to his knees. His eyes then widened at the amount of blood covering his now flaccid cock and Steve’s thighs. ‘What the-?!’ he quickly moved back, his stomach churning in absolute disgust as he saw the mixture of blood and semen dripping from the blond’s ass, staining the white bedsheets.

‘Fuck…’ he quickly jumped to his feet and paced up and down the room, hands tangled in his hair. This machine- this _sex doll_ , was way too real. He grabbed a bottle of scotch from his desk and set it directly against his lips, not even caring to pour it in a glass. The liquor burned down his throat as he swallowed, washing away the bile that threatened crawl from his stomach. It was a welcoming distraction which lasted not nearly long enough.

Tony turned around once more and stared at the silent machine on his bed before shouting; ‘Fuck!’

He threw the expansive bottle against the wall and leaned on the table, head held low. ‘Jarvis! Make sure this thing is sent back to Stane _right fucking now_! I don’t ever want to use it again!’

‘Master…?’

The billionaire’s blood ran cold.

‘Did I… Did I not do well…?’ Steve asked cautiously as he tried to sit up. He moved slowly, his body trembling though his expression remained stoic. ‘Did I-?’ he froze as he felt the pool of blood and semen underneath his legs. ‘I… I stained the bed. Master. I am so sorry. Please. Let me take care of this. Allow me the chance to clean up the mess I made.’

It was disturbing to hear pleading words without emotion, yet what nearly brought tears to Tony’s eyes was the way the doll forced itself to stand, legs covered in ruby-red liquid, body trembling and eyes still blinded.

‘Master…?’ The bot continued. ‘Please- don’t- don’t send me back to Master Stane.’

‘ _Master_ Stane?’ Tony wanted to ask a thousand questions, though he first had to guide the bot back onto his bed as its legs nearly gave. ‘Steve, what do you mean? How is it you know Obie? He send you as a present, you can’t-’

It was then that Tony recalled his phone call with his co-worker.

“ _It’s a service bot, capable of doing each and everything you ask of it. Or at least incapable of refusing. Believe me, I’ve tried._ ”

‘He’d tried…’ he sat down next to the blond and quickly removed the blindfold. ‘Steve, you need to tell me. Has Stane used you as well? For sex?’

The doll nodded. ‘Yes, master.’

The billionaire felt nothing but disgust. ‘Okay. But… why don’t you want to go back to him? When I said his name, you freaked out. What did he do?’

The blond parted his lips, recalling the events that were still saved on his memory. ‘He used me for sexual pleasure. Tied me up, beaten me, strangled me, cut me.’

‘… You’re lying,’ Tony’s mouth went dry as he did not want to believe the doll’s story. Hearing it speak such cruel words so apathetically left him horrified. ‘You’re lying!’

‘I am a machine, master,’ Steve wanted to look up, yet kept his gaze to the floor as he remembered how disgusted Tony was with his eyes. ‘I can’t lie.’

‘No. No! I won’t believe this! Jarvis! Read this machine’s memory! It’s got to be broken. A malfunction or- or maybe a virus.’

‘Downloading all memories,’ the AI’s voice filled the room. ‘Download complete, sir.’

The file was downloaded onto Stark’s phone, the pictures popping up into thin air for Tony to see.

“‘ _So, your name. Steven, right? I’m gonna call you Steve. ‘T suits you.’_

Tony watched himself through the doll’s eyes and grunted softly. ‘Go back. See if you can find anything with Obadiah in it.’

It didn’t take long before Stane’s face popped up, confirming Steve’s story. Videos of him plainly abusing and raping the doll, blood splattering everywhere as multiple SM toys and weapons passed by. Collars, restraints, whips, knives.

One video left Tony to run towards the ensuite bathroom, heaving bile. It showed Steve hanging from a noose, his toes barely touching the ground. His breaths were strangled, gasps wet is it sounded like his windpipe had filled up with blood.

Tony swiped all images away as he couldn’t take anymore.

He moved from the bathroom, taking deep breaths as he tried to calm his stomach and mind. What Obie had done, what he _himself_ had done, was absolutely horrible, _if_ Steve had been human. Yet the creature was nothing more but a doll. Incapable of feeling, incapable of suffering.

Right?

He saw the blond sitting completely frozen on the edge of his bed, trembling and waiting for his master to tell him what to do. His milky eyes held no soul, yet now did seem filled with terror.

The playboy crouched down, his arms resting on the doll’s legs, his hands cupping his face. ‘Steve?’ he asked gently as he guided him to look him in the eye. ‘What are you…?’

Steve stared at his master, tears forming in his eyes as his lips trembled. ‘I don’t know.’


	2. NOTIFICATION

Hi everyone, 

Just wanted to tell you all that I am actually planning on continuing this fic!

I don't quite know when I will be able to upload the next chapter since I'm a nurse have to work extra shifts due to Covid19...   
But I'll try to upload frequently! :D

So... If you liked this fic please subscribe and you'll know when I will be posting the next chapter!  
Check out the new tags in the meantime!

Thanks again for reading and have an awesome day! :)


	3. Devour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To each and every amazing reader,
> 
> Thank you so much for commenting and telling to continue.  
> For subscribing and supporting this fic.  
> For waiting patiently till I would finally upload the next chapter.
> 
> Thank you all so so much.  
> I hope you are doing well.  
> I hope this chapter will brighten your day if only for a couple of minutes.
> 
> ps. For all of you who can't stand cockroaches... I am so sorry.

The scent of blood, sweat and disinfectant created a suffocating air throughout the room. All lights were dimmed to near darkness, the Operation Table next to Steve polished till it gleamed in what little light was left. The table tray adjust to it displayed a wide variety of instruments; scalpels, scissors, saws and syringes all neatly ordered and ready to use. 

‘Rogers!’

The doll opened its eyes, responding to the voice of its master shouting its name. He was sitting on his knees, the cold of the stone floor creeping into his legs and up his hips. How much time had gone by in which he was not allowed to stand? For how long was he kneeling in this basement, waiting without food or water, for its master to return?

He looked up, bright blue eyes squinting as the room flooded with fluorescent light. ‘Mast-’ he was slapped with the back of a hand before he could even see his master approaching. The ring on his master’s finger teared open the skin on his cheekbone, causing a steady stream of blood to drip down his face.

‘That kid!’ Obadiah bellowed. ‘That fucking kid’s gone _again_!’ he grabbed Steve’s hair and pulled him to his feet, causing the doll to yelp in pain. ‘Where is he?!’

‘I don’t know.’ The doll stared at the empty wall in front of him, not daring to meet his master’s eye. ‘I have no existing data on a child.’

Stane gritted his teeth, his voice filled with frustration and anger. ‘This is all your fault! If that little freak of yours doesn’t come back I’ll fucking sell you off on the black market! See how kind those people are to a fuck toy.’ He pushed the blond back to the ground, followed by a merciless kick in his chest.

Steve gasped for air, followed by a violent coughing fit. A wave of heat flooded his body as he tried to breathe through the pain, knowing his ribs were bruised, if not broken. He wondered who this kid was and searched again through his brand-new memory installed in the back of his head, yet came up with nothing. He wondered why it was his fault that he, apparently, was gone, and why he would know where he was. Maybe his creators have forgotten to install the data.

All Steve knew was that it was best for him to stay silent and pray his master would believe him.

‘Well, I guess he can’t really get far… Thank god we installed that chip in his neck.’ Stane stared at his doll, wiping the blood from his ring before casually burying his hands in his pockets. ‘Come here.’

Steve listened to his master, struggling to get on his feet after sitting on his knees for what felt like months. After a few wobbling steps he managed to stand in front of his master.

‘… Spin around.’

The doll did as it was told, slowly gaining control of his feet. Blood finally coursed through his legs again, causing the lower half of his body to feel numb and static. His movements were unstable, much like a toddler learning to walk.

‘Hm,’ Stane hummed, though it was not clear whether it was out of amusement or disappointment. The man then glanced at the floor, watching a cockroach crawl by. He looked at his property again, a wide grin forming on his face. ‘Grab that.’

Again, the doll obliged. He got to his knees and quickly caught the bug, keeping a firm hold yet at the same time being careful not to crush it. It was as big as the doll’s hand, its wings flapping frantically in his palm. Steve looked up at his master for his next order.

The grin on Stane’s face turned malicious, ‘Eat it.’

Steve’s teeth penetrated the tough shell of the insect as he took the first bite. A crunching, spine-chilling sound moved through the air. He could feel its legs still crawling over his tongue, its pincers desperately biting into the inside of his cheeks. The blond froze for a split second, only to force himself to continue to chew.

He eventually swallowed, then looked at his master again.

Stane merely raised his brow, unimpressed with the doll’s pleading blue eyes. ‘Did I tell you to stop?’

Without a hint of reluctance Steve dug his teeth into the remains of the cockroach. He bit it in half, its gizzard ripping and spilling all over his tongue. The insect’s body fluids ran down the corner of the doll’s mouth and stained his skin. Each bite, each time he chewed, send shivers down his spin, yet he continued to eat. He felt the remnants of the bug’s shell stick to his gums, a leg stuck between his teeth.

He stared blankly at his empty hands after swallowing the last bite, swearing he could feel the cockroach squirming down his throat.

He looked up at his master, ocean blue eyes begging, though he did not even know what he was begging for.

‘Don’t give me that look,’ Obadiah snarled, ‘Fuck it’s always those disgusting eyes!’ His hand wrapped around the blond’s throat and he pulled him to his feet. ‘Get on the table.’

Steve stared at the operation table, his heart beating loudly in his chest. Something about the shiny object made his skin crawl, made his lungs refuse to suck in any oxygen. It felt like a memory was locked away, one that was unpleasant or even cruel, but he could not recall it.

All his body could recall was dread and anxiety.

He needed to walk; he knew he had to for it was his master’s order, but he couldn’t. His feet seemed glued to the floor, every muscle refusing to oblige.

‘I said move!’

Steve jolted at the loud roar which was followed by a sharp kick in his lower back. He stumbled forward and slowly but surely found his body complying to his master. He lay down on the table, shivering as the cold metal caressed his skin. He stared at the ceiling, feeling empty and numb except for the pain that still lingered in his bruising chest.

‘That’s better,’ Stane sighed irritably. ‘Looks like you still need some tweaking…’ he muttered as he walked closer while sending a text message on his phone. ‘The guys from the lab are on their way. Lay here and wait for them. Do as they say, got it?’

The doll swallowed, but eventually nodded. He hated those men, hated what they would do to him. They called themselves his creators, yet it always felt like they only took, hollowing both his body and soul after every maintenance. They’ve cut him open so many times, covered his spine with cold metal, bound his bones with wire. All in the name of science, all in the name of perfecting.

‘Yes, master.’ He could hear Stane walk away. He wanted to stay silent, for a machine should never question, yet couldn’t resist asking one last question. ‘Master?’

The man froze, his gaze daring the machine to continue.

‘This… _kid,_ you spoke of earlier…’ There was a hint of nervousness in the doll’s voice. Steve never wanted to bring the subject up again, knowing better than to question his master. Yet he could not help but wonder, this child being on his mind since Stane asked him about it, though he did not understand why. ‘What happens to it once it is back?’

Obadiah’s blood started to boil, his teeth gritted. ‘How many times do I have to remind you not to ask questions?’ His words came out calm yet dripped with frustration and fury. ‘How many times have I told you to shut up?!’

He raised his fist and crashed it against the blond’s jaw without restraint, over and over again, not stopping till he heard the satisfying sound of bone shattering beneath his hand. Steve meekly laid still, arms strained at his side as he knew the beating would only get worse if he tried to defend himself. Tears blurred his vision as they streamed down his temple and disappeared into his hairline. He bit the inside of his cheeks to suppress his screaming, the taste of copper filling his mouth as blood pooled on his tongue.

Stane finally seemed to collect himself, his gaze completely focused on the doll’s azure eyes. They should be without soul, nothing but empty husks. Yet they were filled with pain, with fear and desolation. ‘Always those disgusting eyes,’ he straightened his jacked and moved a hand through his slightly tousled hair. ‘You want to know what happens to your little boy when we find him?’

Steve tried to stay as quiet as possible, fighting each sob and wheeze. He trembled on the cold table, pain and fear wrecking his body. He did not dare to move nor make a single sound.

‘Once we find your little brat,’ he hovered over his doll, hands resting behind his back and smirking as he saw the effusion of blood in its broken jaw. ‘We will make sure he will never dare to leave again. Your brat’s been naughty, Rogers. Surely you understand that some form of discipline is necessary.’

‘M-my…’ Steve’s breath hitched in his chest, the palms of his hands turning sweaty.

_His_ brat?

A throbbing headache caused the doll to screw his eyes shut. A name lingered on the tip of his tongue, a blurry image of a young child with brown hair and hazel eyes forming in his foggy mind. ‘Don’t hurt him,’ he pleaded, the words falling from his mouth without his consent. The urge to protect burned in each fiber of his artificial body despite having no memories of this child. ‘Please, master… Please don’t hurt him.’

Stane sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He didn’t look up as three men entered the basement, their faces hidden underneath the yellow suit they were wearing, their gloved hands filled with tools and paperwork. Steve recognized them as his creators. One of them walked up to Obadiah and whispered something in his ear.

It must have been satisfying news, for a smug grin returned on Stane’s face once more. ‘Looks like they found him, doll.’

‘No…’ the blond whispered. He didn’t understand his own emotions, didn’t understand why it felt like stones weighed heavy in his stomach. ‘No… master, please-!’

‘You know,’ Stane continued as the creators set out their equipment, their black boots squeaking against the stone floor as they readied for surgery. ‘We’ll be able to fix that rotten brain of yours. Turn you into a nice obedient little puppet,’ He grabbed a syringe from the table tray, the needle glistening in the fluorescent lights. ‘But those damn eyes of yours…’

He waited for his goons to strap Steve to the table, making sure each belt and chain was properly secured.

‘I think it’s about time we did something about those,’ The grin on Stane’s face was almost feral. He closed in, holding the needle just above Steve’s eyes. ‘Not to worry, doll. Soon you won’t remember anything, anyway.’

* * *

‘Stop the feed!’ Tony shouted the moment the syringe penetrated the sclera, Steve’s horrifying screams bleeding from the stereo. 

Jarvis cut off the video downloaded from the doll’s memory, causing an ominous silence to fill the room.

Tony panted and covered his eyes with his hands. He could not believe what he saw. Could not believe that Obie, who was a family friend before he was even born, was capable of such cruelty.

He knew Steve was a robot, but still…

Tony’s disbelief quickly turned into full-blown anger. He turned to the doll still siting silently on his bed, his words dripping with frustration. ‘Where was this?’ he asked as he paced back, raising his voice as he continued. ‘That syringe- is that why your eyes-?! What was in there? What did he inject you with?!’

‘I-I don’t know,’ the doll stammered, every muscle in his body tensing as his master closed in. His heart raced in his chest, beating loudly against his ribcage as he held his gaze low.

‘A-and this kid they were talking about?’ Tony continued, blind to the bot’s obvious anxiety. ‘He said he was yours, right? Do you have a son? How is that even possible?!’

‘I don’t have a son, master.’ The blond stated, a tremble in his voice. ‘I- I have no data or other records other than the ones you already have access to.’

Tony wanted to keep asking questions, yet stopped as the image of the bleeding and naked doll finally forced him to calm down. ‘Shit, Steve, I’m sorry.’ He took a deep breath and quickly wrapped a blanket around the doll’s body. The blond flinched as the playboy got closer, causing Tony’s heart to shatter. ‘Really, Steve. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.’

The blond gazed at him with a frown, wondering why his master would apologize. He was grateful that he wasn’t ordered to respond, for he had no idea what to say.

Tony winced at the blood-soaked sheets, wanting nothing more but to burn them. ‘Think you can stand?’

Steve nodded, ‘Yes master.’

‘Okay, come on then.’ Tony held out his hand and supported the doll till he stood on his own two feet. He guided him towards the bathroom, taking slow and gentle steps. ‘Can you take a bath or shower? You know, without electrocuting yourself?’

Steve nodded again, wonderous eyes gazing at the luxurious products displayed at the sink. Colognes, hair gels, after shave and moisturizers, all expansive brands, all neatly arraigned.

‘You can use those, if you want to… or, need to…’ Tony frowned as he thought this over, then quickly turned on the shower. He placed one of his biggest towels at the sink and made sure there was plenty of shampoo and shower gel. ‘Take all the time you need, okay? What’s mine is yours.’

Tony wanted to walk out of the bathroom, wanted to give the man, no, _doll_ , a little privacy. He turned around one last time to make sure Steve had everything he needed.

His stomach tightened at the sight of the blond, standing almost helplessly with nothing but a blanket to cover his blood and semen stained body. Tony looked away for a second, his heart aching with guilt, his eyes burning with tears. He forced himself to keep reminding that Steve was nothing but an impressive piece of technology, _programmed_ to show emotions, _programmed_ to react human.

He was a doll, a way too realistic machine who could not feel sadness, nor pain, nor joy.

The playboy looked up, meeting the doll’s hollow and milky eyes. ‘You’ll be okay, right?’ he hardly recognized his own voice as it was barely audible. All earlier statements crumbling down as the doll nodded again.

‘Good,’ Tony clasped his hands together, trying to shrug this haunting feeling of guilt. ‘Jarvis will tell you what to do when you’re done, so, no worries there.’ He quickly turned around and closed the door as the bathroom was slowly filling with steam, only later realizing that the doll had no idea who or what Jarvis was.

He nervously paced to one of the spare bedrooms and made sure to take a hot shower. He scrubbed his entire body, once, twice, making sure every drop of sweat was rinsed from his skin. The billionaire shuddered as Steve’s blood colored the soap red before it washed down his now flaccid cock. He coughed as he caught a sniff of metal, the unmistakable scent of blood filling his nostrils before vanishing down the drain.

Even the doll’s blood was too realistic.

The heat burned his skin, turning it a livid shade of red starting at his shoulders. The pain was welcome though as it helped to distract him from the horrid images that were saved on Steve’s memory.

He still could not believe Obie would do something so cruel.

Tony disappeared into his workshop after his shower, needing something to focus on other than the doll. He soon lost track of time, his entire world now safely confined within these four walls.

‘Sir,’ Jarvis turned down the loud music, breaking Tony’s concentration. ‘Your guest is done showering. I took the liberty to let him dress in your sweatpants which seem to fit just fine for now.’

‘However?’ Tony pried as the AI seemed to hesitate.

‘Your shirts, sir. They fit but just barely. It seems like the shirt he is currently wearing will end up at least two sizes bigger.’

Tony rolled his eyes, ‘That’s fine, J. Just send him here.’

It didn’t take long for Steve to step into the playboy’s workshop, the sweet scent of soap following him, overpowering the smell of grease and sweat. He saw the playboy and smiled, cheeks rosy and body wrapped in warm and comfortable clothes.

Tony stared, unable to respond other than to smile back. Steve looked so content, so unlike the traumatized sex doll who sat at the edge of his bed mere minutes ago. He looked flawless in Tony’s favorite black sweatpants, the sweater he was wearing, though being a bit too small, colored perfectly with what once were sky blue eyes. Tony swallowed hard as he had to remind himself the blond was still a machine.

A machine he was slowly falling for.

Deeper and deeper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all of you who spend their time alone in quarantine during this pandemic and have no one to turn to - know that, if you want to, I am here to listen.   
> I have discord and am more than willing to just listen to your story, or cheer you up with random/funny marvel jokes. Whatever works for you.  
> Please let me know in the comments. 
> 
> Please take care of yourself and be safe.  
> Lots of Love   
> Netherlands
> 
> ps. I will post the next chapter as soon as its finished. Lots of love, hurt and protectiveness still to come.


	4. Epiphany

It didn’t take long for Steve to step into the playboy’s workshop, the sweet scent of soap following him, overpowering the smell of grease and sweat. He saw the playboy and smiled, cheeks rosy and body wrapped in warm and comfortable clothes.

Tony stared, unable to respond other than to smile back. Steve looked so content, so unlike the traumatized sex doll who sat at the edge of his bed mere minutes ago. He looked flawless in Tony’s favorite black sweatpants, the sweater he was wearing, though being a bit too small, colored perfectly with what once were sky blue eyes. Tony swallowed hard as he had to remind himself the blond was still a machine.

‘Come in,’ he welcomed the doll with open arms. ‘Careful though, don’t want to step on your fellow bots.’ He chuckled a little nervously as DUM-E moved up to inspect the newcomer.

Steve cautiously walked in, eyes charting the entire room, admiring every little gadget Tony had been working on. Trusting his master’s words he ventured further, looking at all the strange technology and weapons which were either carefully displayed or carelessly scattered across the floor.

‘You like those?’ Tony asked as Steve seemed to be particularly interested in some sketches drawn on a glass board. ‘They’re just some simple outlines, nothing special. I think I even made that one when I was drunk.’ He chuckled as he pointed at a very badly drawn robot. ‘I was so drunk I created some sort of superhero and, apparently, drunk me thinks it would look something like… well, this.’ He smiled and stared at the child-like drawing. ‘Pretty pathetic, huh?’

‘You say it’s pathetic and yet you didn’t erase it.’ Steve noted sharply. He managed to look away from the drawing as his master didn’t respond and found himself absolutely horrified as he saw him staring back with wide eyes. ‘I- I am sorry, master! It is not my place to-’

‘No, it’s fine.’ Tony quickly smiled. ‘Hate to say it but you’re right.’ An awkward silence fell in which Steve completely shut down again, making Tony sigh. ‘You don’t talk a lot, do you?’

‘I am only permitted to answer questions. It is not my place to talk or wonder.’

Tony frowned. ‘Is that your default setting?’

‘It is how Master Stane programed me.’

Tony remained silent for a moment. ‘Well, you now have my permission to speak freely.’

He still didn’t want to believe Obie was at fault for all of this. He is a good friend and a good business partner, surely there was some other explanation to whatever horrors were inscribed on Steve’s memory.

‘I always imagined it… hot-rod red.’ Tony continued as he looked at his drawing again. He scoots a little closer, nudged the blond to pull him out of his shell and smiled. It was very tempting to lay his head to rest on his broad shoulder. ‘With a little gold, maybe.’

‘How discreet.’

The remark was dripping with sarcasm and for the very first time Tony saw a genuine grin on the blond’s face. He stared, mouth slightly ajar as he took in the playful and dare he say almost angelic look.

The playboy then quickly blinked his eyes to snap out of his reverie. He smirked, ‘Did you just sass me?’

Steve shrugged, his smile never fading even though he did still seem a little tense. ‘Well, if you want it red and gold then…’ he stared at the doodle and grabbed a marker. ‘Might I offer some changes to your design?’

Tony’s baffled expression slowly turned into pure excitement. ‘Sure,’ he chuckled. ‘Go ahead.’

He watched as Steve concentrated on his drawing, each line creating more depth, each curve bringing the project closer to life. The childish doodle slowly turning into an actual suit of armor. ‘Where did you learn to draw like this?’ Tony asked as he stared breathlessly at the amazing sketches on the glass board.

‘I… I don’t know,’ Steve admitted quietly. ‘Must be programmed.’

‘Must be…’ Tony repeated and he couldn’t help but smile as Steve actually seemed… proud.

They hovered around the board for hours, lost in time as Steve created one design after the other while Tony clumsily doodled matching weapons and nifty gadget. Steve laughed as Tony got more excited with every sketch, his energy seeming endless as he bounced between the drawing board and his computers.

They ordered pizza by night which Tony handed Steve with a smile, then hesitated a little as he realized a robot didn’t need any actual food.

He was completely perplexed though as he saw the blond downing the pizza in record time like a starving man.

Steve stuffed his face, barely chewing before taking the next bite. He eventually looked up at his master, noticing he hadn’t moved an inch. His master stared at him, blinking his eyes. Steve slowly lowered his pizza slice, his cheeks coloring red, ‘I- I am so sorry.’ He only then realized his still had his mouth full and quickly swallowed. ‘It’s just- it’s been so long since- w-well-’

Tony didn’t know what surprised him more. The fact that the doll ate like he had been starved for weeks, or the fact that he ate at all. He eventually placed a hand on the doll’s lap, a grin on his face as he grabbed a slice of pizza and started to shove it down his throat.

Steve started to smile and eventually laughed as cheese and tomato sauce got into his master’s goatee. They continued their dinner with an air of relaxation, laughing till the last slice of pizza was gone.

‘Were you hungry?’ Tony asked in curiosity, not a single of drop of mock in his voice.

‘Yeah,’ Steve nodded. ‘I haven’t eaten anything in a week or so.’

‘Hmm,’ Tony thought this over. ‘Still weird though. That you need to eat, that is. Or at least feel hunger. I’ll have to check your tech sometime.’ He placed a reassuring hand on Steve’s shoulder as the doll looked at him with fear. ‘Don’t worry. I’m not gonna take you apart or anything. Just wanne have a look, that’s all.’

Steve sighed, nervously biting his bottom lip. He didn’t want to be examined again. Didn’t want to lose these few pleasant memories he had with his new master. What if he would not recognize him when he woke up? What if he wouldn’t recognize anything? What if his master will forget about him and he will never reboot and he-

‘Steve. Hey!’

Tony’s voice finally reached the doll, pulling him out of thoughts. He looked at his master with fear in his eyes which soon ebbed away as the billionaire pressed a gentle kiss against his lips.

‘It’s gonna be okay,’ Tony reassured, pressing another kiss against his temple. ‘I’m not gonna hurt you.’

The doll seemed to relax with that promise in mind, trusting his master’s words. The two of them stayed in the workshop and continued drawing and tinkering with tech till Jarvis reminded them that it was nearly midnight. ‘You do have a very important meeting tomorrow, sir. I would suggest that you get some rest.’

‘Yeah yeah, just one last thing,’ Tony wanted to start a whole new project but stopped as he felt the doll’s hands resting on his shoulders, his body close against his back.

‘Master,’ Steve whispered close to Tony’s ear, his voice deep and soothing.

Tony shivered at the breath ghosting down his neck, wanting nothing more but to throw the blond over his workbench and let his hands roam over his naked body. He turned around, every form of sinful lust disappearing as he looked straight into Steve’s tired, yet grateful face. ‘Hm?’

‘It’s important to get rest,’ Steve kindly reminded him. ‘Please allow me to clean up so you can go to bed.’

‘… Leave it,’ Tony kept staring into Steve’s eyes. ‘Just- leave it, for now. Let’s both go to bed. Seems like you had a pretty long day, so I can only imagine how tired you must be.’

Tony wondered if the doll could even feel tired, as it was more likely that its battery would run out of juice. ‘Or maybe you need to be recharged?’

Steve was taken slightly aback by the playboy’s kind consideration. Running out of energy was always a terrifying experience, as if all life slowly vanquished from his body, leaving him cold and fearful for he did not know when or even _if_ he would ever see the light of day again. ‘I- I don’t need charging for another twenty-six hours, however, I can be put in rest mode while you sleep, master.’

Tony nodded, ‘Rest mode it is. Also, call me Tony. The whole “master” thing? It’s not really my style. Not outside the bedroom, anyway.’

‘…Tony,’ Steve tried the name out. It felt weird calling his master by his first name, yet at the same time it made him feel ecstatic. He smiled brightly, ‘Tony.’ 

They walked back towards the sleeping quarters, enjoying each other’s company in silence.

Tony guided them to the spare bedroom as he could not bring himself to face the blood and semen stained bed in the master chamber.

‘This room is a little smaller than the other,’ Steve noticed, after which he observed some of the artwork hanging on the walls. ‘And yet it’s still so big…’

‘Yeah, I always have this room at the ready, never know when you need it.’ He chuckled as Steve tilted his head at an old gramophone record player. ‘Used to belong to my dad.’ He walked closer and opened a wooden box filled with records. ‘No idea if it still works though. What kind of music do you like?’

‘I don’t have a preference installed.’ Steve’s curiosity got the better of him as he peeked over the billionaire’s shoulder. 

‘Well, my old man mostly left me jazz and big band style records, so…’ He searched through numerous songs, eventually pulling out an old jazz LP. ‘Can you dance?’ he asked with a smirk as played it, the soothing notes of a saxophone setting the tune. 

‘N-no,’ Steve took a step back as Tony got closer. ‘I have no software on dancing installed, mast-’

But Tony already grabbed the doll’s hands, placing one on his hip and holding the other in his own. ‘Time for you to learn.’

The soft swing of a contrabass filled the air, blending with the tunes of the drums and piano. The song was slow and gentle, guiding a woman’s voice. Surface noise, originating from wear, misalignment and pressing defects, gave the music its characteristic crackle.

The doll tried to follow Tony’s lead, eyes darting from his legs to the playboy’s hazel eyes. He was clumsy at first, nearly tripping over his own feet and colliding with the dresser before slowly finding his rhythm.

‘There you go,’ Tony smiled as the blond moved quietly in his arms. He let him twirl on his feet before holding him even closer, his forehead resting against the dolls.

Tony’s arms draped over the blond’s shoulders, fingers gently caressing the back of his neck. He felt Steve’s arms wrapped around his waist, holding him close yet still allowing him to move freely. He breathed the machine’s air and basked in the warmth coming from his artificial body.

He felt himself falling deeper and deeper, fearing he would never be able to turn back.

Their tender motion halted as the music stopped, their eyes closed as their lips touched yet did not kiss.

Tony hesitantly lowered his head. What if Steve did not want to kiss him? Did not even want to touch him? What if he was doing all of this merely because he was his master? He grimaced at the thought, not wanting to put the doll through such forced interactions ever again. ‘We should get some sleep.’ He had to clear his throat before words would come out.

‘Yes, mas- Tony.’ Steve let his arms fall and the playboy almost whined at the loss of his warmth and touch.

He took a step back and yawned. He stretched and started to undress, only looking at Steve after unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt. ‘Oh, sorry. Do you mind?’

‘No, Tony,’ Steve walked closer and raised his hands to the playboy’s chest.

Tony held his breath as the blond’s lips were only inches away from his own, his fingers working with precision to further unbutton his shirt.

‘Oh, no, I- that’s not what I meant by… You don’t have to…’ Tony muttered half-heartedly as Steve worked his way down, fingers now tangled with his belt.

‘Do you want me to stop?’ he asked quietly, hands resting just above the zipper of his pants.

The playboy merely shook his head once, words abandoning him. Silence filled the room as the doll continued his work, leaving Tony in nothing but his underwear. He opened the covers and guided his master into his bed. ‘Sleep well, Tony.’

‘Aren’t you coming in as well?’ The words left his lips before he even realized it.

‘…I am a machine,’ Steve voice was filled with remorse. He remembered Stane scolding him for even daring to catch his breath in his bed after chocking him during sex till his vision clouded with black spots. A sex machine should never sleep under the same covers as its master, the never fading scars on his back a constant reminder of this hard-learned lesson. ‘Sleeping in the same bed would be… inappropriate. However, if it is what you want I will not refuse.’

Tony’s reverie shattered into a thousand pieces. Steve was right, he was a machine. A robot. Nothing more but wires and metal. This thing was not human, just an empty husk with human form.

And still, he lost to him.

‘Steve.’

The doll immediately tensed as his master called his name. All the tenderness and warmth was ripped out of his voice, leaving a shallow sound. His chest tightened with anxiety, causing him to fall back into his old habits. ‘Yes, master?’

Tony gulped as he was not able to look him in the eye any longer. It scared him how quickly he grew attached to this machine, how easily Steve managed to win over his heart. It was not healthy. Falling in love with an AI was not healthy.

Steve had to go, before he would lose his himself completely.

‘How ‘bout we go for a ride?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the love before the hurt..  
> Hope to see you again next chapter! <3


	5. All returns to Normal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,
> 
> Thank you so much for showing your support by reading my story!  
> Hope you will enjoy this chapter ~
> 
> Lots of love  
> MissBoaBoa

The car ride was quiet except for the music playing softly over the radio. Tony was lost in his thoughts, occasionally glancing at Steve who was excitedly staring out the window. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel, palms turning sweaty as he heard the doll hum along with the music.

A voice whispered in the back of Tony’s mind, sighing words of guilt and betrayal.

The playboy focused on the road as he tried to convince himself he shouldn’t feel remorseful over sending back a sex doll. He will have a talk with Stane and ask for an explanation to why Steve’s memory was full of these horrifying images.

Obie would give him a perfectly reasonable explanation and he would make sure the doll would be taken care of properly.

’01.00 A.M. and there are still so many people on the streets,’ Steve remarked, though it sounded more like he was mumbling to himself.

‘Uh-huh.’

The blond looked up at his master and frowned at the man’s stoic expression. Tony had been awfully quiet for the entire trip, hardly speaking a word after they had left the spare bedroom in the middle of the night. It made Steve wonder if he did something wrong, his stomach immediately twisting and tightening with worry. ‘I think your superhero suit needs a name,’ he offered as humbly as possible, hoping to bring his master back to his energetic self again. ‘The one we worked on?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Master…?’ Steve turned towards Tony and placed his hand on the man’s lap to get his attention. ‘Did I do something wrong?’

‘No, just-’ Tony hissed as he quickly slapped Steve’s hand from his thigh. How he wanted to pull over and kiss the doll. How he wanted to turn around and take him home, his arms wrapped around his body as they would lay in bed.

He pressed his eyes shut for a second as the image of Steve’s bloodied and semen-covered body came to mind. He didn’t want to hurt him, didn’t want the blond to do anything he didn’t want to, his mind than twisting over the fact that he was a doll and could not _actually_ want nor reject anything.

Tony’s mind was a complete mess. He needed to get rid of Steve before it was too late, before he would lose himself completely to an artificial personality.

The doll retreated his hand and remained completely silent for the rest of the ride, not wanting to upset his master even further.

Half an hour had passed in which Tony did not dare to talk, fearing he will regret his decision.

Half an hour had passed in which Steve did not dare to look up from his feet, fearing he would upset his master who has been so kind to him.

The doll didn’t move until they arrived at an all too familiar building. Steve stared at the mansion, at the marble steps that lead up to a grand door. He recognized the casement windows and velvet curtains, the beautiful statues adorning the driveway.

He turned his gaze towards his master, but Tony kept staring ahead, his hands still clasped around the wheel.

‘Come on. Let’s go.’

The doll knew pleading would be pointless as his master stepped out of the car. He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart, still wondering what he did wrong to deserve being send back into the hands of his former master. Maybe Tony found a malfunction. Maybe Stane could send him to his creators to get him fixed and then he would be good to take back in again.

He just prayed that Tony would come back for him.

The playboy rang the doorbell and took a step back, hands buried in his pockets as he admired the large stones that made the foundation of the porch. He wondered how his business partner could afford such a grand place, knowing Obie made good money, yet also knowing it could never pay for all the costs coming with such an extravagant building.

A light switched on, though it was not in the corridor. Tony squinted his eyes as the curtains on the second floor opened, revealing a young teen. The boy’s tousled hair covered part of his eyes, which he rubbed sleepily. He yawned and stared at the man standing on his porch, most likely wondering why the stranger was there in the first place.

Tony tilted his head. He didn’t know Obie had a kid, and even if he did the boy now standing at the window looked nothing like him. The child, who didn’t seem much over fourteen, stood still for a second to observe him, then seemed about ready to close his curtains again.

That was, until he saw Steve stepping out of the car.

He froze, lips barely moving as he seemed to whisper the doll’s name. His eyes then grew wide, hands frantically slamming against the glass as he tried to get Steve’s attention.

‘Shit…’ Tony cursed in shock at the kid’s desperate attempts. The child seemed to pay him no more attention, his focus now solely on the doll as he kept slamming and shouting. ‘Steve,’ The playboy pointed at the window, ‘You know that kid?’

The doll looked up at which the child stopped crashing his hands against the glass. The young boy smiled desperately and waved, jumping up and down as he was finally noticed. The blond blinked, but then shook his head. ‘Never seen him before, master.’

Tony saw the boy’s smile disappearing. He seemed to mumble something as he watched Steve walk towards the front door, slamming on the glass one last time before looking at the playboy and disappearing from the window.

‘Tony?’

The billionaire looked up, meeting Stane’s puzzled gaze as he was standing on the front porch. ‘Obie,’ Tony walked inside, Steve following him like a shadow. ‘We need to talk.’

* * *

‘I… I don’t know what to say, Tony,’ Stane sighed and turned his head after watching only a few seconds of one of Steve’s memories.

The doll was placed on a couch, countless wires connecting him from the back of his neck to different kinds of monitors and computers.

Tony leaned against the table, his arms crossed as he felt anger flaring through his chest again. ‘How about explaining to me what’s going on here?’ he demanded. ‘What the hell is this, Obie? The cuffs a-and gags I could understand, but the noose and-!’

The other man closed his laptop and took a sip of his bourbon, a hand buried casually in the pocket of his expensive robe. He did seem bothered, but not necessarily remorseful. ‘Really, Tony, I do hope you understand someone is trying to sabotage me.’ He shook his head and sighed. ‘And all I wanted to do was give you a nice present.’

‘So… you really have no idea how that footage got on there?’ The anger in the playboy’s voice started to fade, though the suspicion remained. ‘You really didn’t do anything to him?’

‘Tony!’ Stane frowned with disbelief as he looked offended. Tony instantly regretted doubting his friend. ‘I can’t believe you actually think I would do this!’ the man calmed down as the other remained silent. ‘Look, kid, I’m sorry you had to see this, but it is not me in that footage. I would have expected you of all people to see that.’ Stane poured another glass of bourbon, then looked Tony straight in the eye. ‘You’re not really _that_ blind, are you?’

‘Of course not,’ The billionaire quickly retorted, taking the alcohol his friend offered. ‘It just- It all so realistic, and Steve, he- he really freaked out and-’

‘Woow, Tony, hold on. _This-’_ he walked over and pointed at the body sitting silently on the couch. ‘This is nothing but a sex doll, a _machine_. It can’t actually “freak out.” It can only be programmed to react in certain ways.’

He leaned forward and hovered over the doll, a smug grin on his face as he saw Steve’s chest rise with fear. ‘ _It_ has no soul, no heart. It has no emotions.’ He spoke as if he truly felt sorry for the machine, then took a deep breath to steady his voice and patted Tony’s shoulder. ‘It’s nothing but dead metal, kid. Surely you realize that, right?’

Tony felt Steve’s eyes burning in his back. He shot a quick glance at the doll, guilt crushing his chest as it held its breath in anticipation of his reaction. ‘… Of course I do,’ Tony muttered. He downed the bourbon with one big gulp and placed the empty glass back on the tray. He didn’t dare to look at Steve again. ‘So, what now?’

‘Well, I’ll just have to take this this piece of junk from your hands and let my guys take it apart first thing in the morning. See if we can find anything. As for now…’ He shot the playboy an earnest glare. ‘No one can know about this until the sick fuck who did this is found.’

‘I’ll help.’ Tony stated determinately, already walking towards Obadiah’s laptop. It was the least he could do after doubting his friend. ‘I’ll find them. They won’t get away with this, I promise.’

‘No,’ Stane’s voice was loud, causing Tony to stop in his track and look at him. He cleared his throat. ‘I’ve put you through enough shit already. I gave you this machine to help you unwind but it just made life worse for you.’ He wrapped an arm around the man’s shoulders and slowly but certainly guided him towards the front door. ‘You go home, Stark. Get some rest. I’ll take care of the machine.’

‘If you say so…’ Tony sighed, a wave of exhaustion washing over him. ‘Let me know when you find anything, ‘kay?’

‘Will do,’ Stane was ready to open the door and see the playboy off, but Tony turned around just before he stepped over the threshold.

‘One last thing,’ He crossed his arms. ‘Why did you never tell me you had a kid?’

Obadiah frowned, ‘I don’t.’

‘Then… who’s the kid on the second floor? He looked shocked to see us, or rather, to see St- the doll.’

‘…Oh,’ Stane seemed completely taken aback, taking just a second too long to answer. ‘Oh! Yeah, that’s Peter. He’s my nephew. Good kid, just-’ he remained silent for a moment to choose his next words carefully. ‘He is a little… disturbed. Kid’s got some screws loose in the head, if you know what I mean. I blame his father, but who am I to judge? I take him in a couple o’ days, now and then, just so my poor sister can get some rest.’

Tony nodded though he did not seem completely convinced. ‘But… why did he react so strongly to a sex doll?’

Stane’s expression turned grim, the hand on Tony’s shoulder tightening. ‘Listen, Tony, why don’t you go home? It’s already late and I just want to go to bed and put this horrible experience behind us. I’ll have that doll checked first thing in the morning and I’ll let you know when we find anything.’

The billionaire glanced up the stairs before nodding, silently leaving the house and stepping into his car. He drove off, glancing in the rearview mirror one last time to see Stane slamming the door shut.

* * *

Steve’s heart was beating loudly in his chest, heartbeat drumming in his ears. He held his breath as he heard the front door being slammed shut, Tony’s voice now completely gone. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes with each approaching step, Stane’s two-hundred dollar penny loafers testily tapping against the wooden floor.

He prayed to be put on sleep mode. Prayed Stane would keep his promise and let his creators fix whatever was broken in his memory.

‘“We succeeded in controlling the human mind.”’ Stane grumbled as he entered the study and stared at him, disappointment written on his face. “Thus controlling body, emotions… and memory.” – that’s what those AIM bastards promised me.’ He unhooked the blond from the countless wires attached to the back of his neck, ‘And all I had to do was deliver the guinea pigs. Social outcasts, people without any relatives going to come poking around looking for them. Elderly,’ he pulled a plug from underneath the captain’s skin. ‘Orphans,’ he pulled another. ‘… Veterans,’ he pulled the last plug and sighed as a drop of blood slowly trickled down the wire and stained his fingers. ‘You were supposed to be our very first success, and yet here you are. A fucking failure.’

It didn’t hurt. Not anymore. The nerves in the back of Steve’s neck were damaged beyond repair long ago, leaving a numb sensation in its place. It was a blessing to the doll, who had been punctured and pierced so many times he had lost count.

‘Shall I go into Rest Mode?’ Steve suggested quietly, voice hoarse as he tried to please his master. He instantly turned his gaze to the floor as he heard Stane’s footsteps coming to a stop, his hands clasping the sweatpants Tony had given him.

‘Get off the couch.’ Obadiah’s voice was filled with irritation, a sign for Steve not to hesitate so he instantly jumped to his feet. ‘You won’t have to go into Rest Mode. I’ll make sure to take care of you right now.’ He bumped into the machine’s shoulder as he walked past him. Steve did not know what to do, the fear of doing something wrong brewing restlessly in his stomach.

The doll kept a close eye on his master, ready to jump at his every command. He saw Stane grabbing a thick book from one of the many shelves, browsing the pages till he found what he was looking for. He grabbed a key hidden at page 621 and walked towards a small locker.

‘Get my coat.’ Stane voice was cold as he grabbed an item wrapped in satin. He pealed the fabric away, a silver handgun now resting in his hands. ‘It’s time for us to take a little walk.’

* * *

The ride home was silent as Tony had turned down the radio, the only sound audible coming from the engine of his Audi.

He didn’t bother to turn on the lights the moment he stepped into his house, didn’t bother to undress as he let himself fall on top of his bed. He let out a deep sigh and stared at the ceiling as his mind continued to race, knowing this would be yet another night without sleep.

He briefly wondered if he would have slept better with the doll in his arms.

He quickly shook his head, mumbling some curses as he saw the first signs of dawn. He threw his legs over the edge of his bed and rubbed his eyes, trying desperately to get Steve out of his mind and continue his life the way he used to. A life of partying, tinkering with tech in his lab and…

He strode into the kitchen and grabbed the first bottle of liquor he could find. ‘Here’s to the good life,’ He muttered half-heartedly as he raised the bottle to his lips.

‘Excuse the interruption,’ Jarvis’ voice echoed through the room. ‘But I would strongly suggest you put the rum down.’

‘Not now, J,’ Tony rolled his eyes and took his first sip, savoring the burn down his throat as he swallowed. ‘Just cancel all my appointments for today.’

‘Way ahead of you, sir.’ The perfectly polite manner in which Jarvis spoke had a strong undertone of sassiness to it. ‘But that was not the reason of my concerns.’

A video feed popped up on one of the many television screens, showing the roof of Tony’s mansion. The playboy frowned and placed the bottle back on the countertop as he saw a hooded figure moving through the shadow and trying to open one of the windows.

‘What the… Jarvis, zoom in.’

The AI did as Tony commanded; the culprit now clearly in sight as he seemed to struggle to breach the highly secured building. ‘He seems a little young,’ Tony noted. ‘Armed?’

‘No, sir. Scans indicate that the intruder is male and between the age of fourteen to seventeen. The clothes enable me to identify him.’

‘I see,’ The billionaire tilted his head, finding it almost entertaining to watch this teen fail to get in. ‘Unarmed, huh? You know what, open one of the windows. Let him in.’

‘Sir, I would recommend calling the police.’

‘Consider your recommendation noted and ignored.’

Jarvis opened one of the windows, knowing there would be no chance of talking any sense into his creator. He kept monitoring the stranger as he entered the building. The teen peeked into every room he came across, yet never entered one.

‘Okay, so he’s not a burglar,’ Tony concluded as he crossed his arms, a frown on his face as he saw the kid ignoring all the valuables he came across. Tech, antiques, art, nothing seemed to pique the child’s interest. ‘I’m going up there.’

It only took Tony a couple of minutes to spot the kid, even without the help of Jarvis. The teen was sneaking around, looking rather nervous as every little sound caused him to gasp, hold his breath and freeze completely, only to continue his search as everything seemed safe. He tiptoed through the corridors on old, worn out shoes, the legs of his pants slightly to short as he had clearly outgrown them, showing off two different black socks.

‘Looking for something?’

The kid squeaked and froze in his track, only to quickly turn around, his face still hidden by the cover of darkness and his hoody. ‘Y-you’re mister Stark-!’

‘Yeah, I know,’ A grin formed on Tony’s lips. ‘Quite surprising that I’m here considering this is my home. Now tell me; who are you and what do you want?’

‘It doesn’t matter who I am,’ The teen sounded so insecure, scared even as he gulped and adjusting his stance. ‘Y-you have exactly ten seconds to tell me wh-’ He yelped as he tried to take a step back and tripped over a lose shoelace. He tried to grab on to a showcase in his panic to regain his balance but managed to pull it down with him as he fell, causing the glass to shatter and the expansive work of art to break at his feet. ‘Oh no… no, no, no! Mister Stark, I am _so_ sorry!’

‘Woow, kid, you okay?’ Tony crouched down, wanting to grab the child’s arm to help him back on his feet and check him for any cuts or other signs of injuries. He quickly redrew his hands though as the teen’s panic only worsened.

‘No, don’t! Please!’ the teen crawled backwards, his hoody no longer covering his face. He moved back till he felt the wall against his shoulder blades and sheltered his face in his hands. ‘Please…! I’m really sorry…’

‘Hey, it’s okay.’ The billionaire was shocked by the boy’s reaction. He was scared to death and so small as he curled in on himself. ‘I wasn’t going to hurt you. I never really cared for that statue anyway.’

The teen slowly looked up; amber eyes filled with fright staring straight at the genius. It was then that Tony’s eyes widened, the child’s face now uncovered. Short, brown, messy curls framed a pale face as his lips were pressed in a thin line. ‘Wait, I know who you are… You’re… Peter, right? Obie’s nephew?’ He frowned. ‘Why are you here? How did you even get here?’

Peter’s lips parted for a split second, only for him to jump to his feet again. ‘Where’s Steve...?’ he asked with as much bravery as he could muster. ‘Where’s my dad?’


	6. It all happened…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hardly dare to show my face again after letting you all wait for so so so long...  
> Please know that I always appreciated your amazing comments and the fact that you were even putting in the time to read this fic.  
> I really hope to pick up my writing again so I can continue to finish not only "Too Human" but "Hellfire" as well.
> 
> Oh! And I also have a new idea for a stony fic. One with wraiths, blood, gore and so much hurt <3 (easy brain! One fic at a time!)
> 
> As our most beloved and sorely missed King of Wakanda once used to say; "I never yielded, and as you can see I am not dead!"  
> So without further ado, here's chapter 6. Hope you will enjoy.

Peter’s lips parted for a split second, only for him to jump to his feet again. ‘Where’s Steve...?’ he asked with as much bravery as he could muster. ‘Where’s my dad?’

‘Your- dad?’ Tony asked cautiously, now fully understanding why Stane called the boy “disturbed.” He eyed the teen, finding no resemblance between him and Steve. It was an obvious lie, and still… ‘Steve Rogers, blond, blue eyes, body like a god. He’s your dad?’

‘Yes! I mean- well,’ Peter hesitated. ‘He’s not really my real dad… He is my dad though!’

Tony frowned before letting out a deep sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. ‘Care to explain?’

The teen nodded slowly. ‘It all started about half a year ago, when mister Stane adopted me and one other girl from the orphanage. I met Steve at his place…’

‘Obie adopted you?’ Worry started to brew in Tony’s chest as the teen became very quiet. ‘But he told me you- you are his _nephew_. Peter, I need you to tell me _exactly_ what happened.’

Peter sighed, ‘Well… as I said, it all started when I got adopted. About half a year ago…’

* * *

Peter sat in the back of a large black car, another girl, who would now be his younger sister, sitting next to him. He did recognize her, had passed by her many times in the orphanage yet had no idea who she was. They held their bags close to their bodies, remaining very quiet just like their new dad had ordered them to.

Peter glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, fingers fiddling nervously with the string of his hoody. ‘I’m Peter,’ he whispered softly and smiled at her.

The young girl looked up, chocolate hair framing her worried eyes. ‘Cassie,’ she muttered softly as she held on to a plushie.

Peter nodded; his eyes drawn to the doll in her hands. It looked somewhat like a rabbit coming straight out of a horror movie. ‘That’s a-uhm… Interesting toy you got there.’

‘Daddy gave him to me before he fell asleep in the hospital.’ Her smile slowly reached her eyes as she looked at the rabbit. ‘He’s very ugly, but I love him.’

Peter let out a sigh, ‘Your father must have been really cool.’

‘He is and I really miss him. I want to go home…’ A short silence followed before she looked at the teen. ‘He can talk, you know?’ She pressed her fingers against the toy’s belly, causing a loud voice to fill the car: “You are my bestest friend.”

The two kids smiled, though it was short to live as their new dad watched them from his rear view mirror. ‘Hey! Keep it down back there!’

The radio was turned off, causing a very uncomfortable silence to fill the car. The two children had never met this man- Stane, before, yet Peter was grateful that someone had finally chosen him after living in the orphanage for as long as he could remember. And even though this was not exactly how he had imagined the car ride to be, he was still very excited.

He wondered what their new mom would be like. Whether she would be kind and pretty, give them hugs before they would go to school and wish them goodnight when they would go to bed. He wondered what their home would be like. If they would have a big house with a garden or if they would live in an apartment. Maybe they had pets. Cats, dogs, birds, Peter couldn’t wait to find out.

The teen could barely contain his excitement and leaned a little towards the middle seat to try and look at the man who now was his father. ‘Uhm, dad? M-mister Stane, sir?’

Stane glanced in the rearview mirror, his voice cold though not completely unkind. ‘What?’

The teen gulped nonetheless. ‘I was just wondering… what’s mom like?’

Stane let out a deep sigh and Peter saw him roll his eyes. ‘Patience, kid.’

Peter nodded and slowly leaned back into his seat, making himself a little smaller.

‘Is he mad at us?’ Cassie whispered as softly as she possibly could. ‘Did we do something wrong?’

The young teen looked up and offered her a weak smile. ‘Of course not,’ he held her hand in his own, trying to reassure her. ‘He’s our dad now. He loves us. Cause that’s… that’s what parents do…’

The ride took about another hour or so, locating them far away from the orphanage and to the outskirts of town. Their eyes widened as they drove up towards Stane’s mansion; butterflies fluttering from one flower to the next in the perfect garden, birds chirping happily as they made their nests in the large oak trees.

‘You will follow me and won’t touch anything,’ Stane announced as he unclasped his seatbelt, ready to step out of the car. ‘Understood?’

The two nodded, following his lead and making sure to stay close. Peter’s eyes were wide in astonishment, a crunching sound coming from beneath his feet as he walked over the gravel path towards the grand door. This will be his home now. This will be the place where he will grow up, celebrate his birthdays, holidays, and spend the rest of his life with the people he would now call family. He stared at Obadiah’s back, tears slowly filling his eyes as he wanted to wrap his arms around the man’s waist and thank him.

‘Are you okay?’ Cassie whispered as she held on to the Peter’s hand. The three of them walked through a large corridor, moving towards the back of the manor.

‘Yeah, I’m just-’ Peter sniffed, quickly wiping away his tears with his sleeve. ‘I’m just really happy.’

‘Okay, Peter, we’re here,’ Obadiah stopped in front of an old, heavy door. It was clear that it had been painted long ago as dark spots of wood started to show beneath the fainting white paint. ‘This will be your room.’

Peter looked passed the man, his smile slowly fainting as he spotted some scratch marks on the doorpost. They had damaged the wooden frame, splinters sticking out and a few dried drops of blood contrasting greatly with the white frame. ‘Do we… have a cat?’ he asked hesitantly, his hands clasped around the straps of his backpack.

‘What?’ Stane frowned, then noticed what Peter was referring to. ‘Oh, yeah. Dumb beast gets himself injured all the time. Now come on,’ he placed his hand on the teen’s back. ‘In you go.’

Peter’s heart drummed in his chest as he waited nervously for his father to open the door. He already imagined what it would look like, imagined the posters he had brought hanging above his new bed and what little clothes he could bring neatly folded in his new wardrobe.

A shivering breeze moved over the floor as the door opened with a screech, a steep stair leading into the basement greeting the teen. The fluorescent lights on the ceiling flickered, the musky smell of mold and dust overwhelming.

Peter looked up at his father, hesitation clear in his eyes. ‘I- I don’t think- I mean…’

‘Come on now, haven’t got all day.’ Stane grumbled and shoved him inside.

Peter yelped as he tripped over his own feet. He managed to grab the banister in his fall, his heart pounding in his chest as he had already tumbled halfway down the stairs. He panted heavily, a sharp pain coming from his left ankle.

‘Peter!’ Cassie wanted to follow the teen, tears already flooding her eyes. She stepped forward but stopped with a gasp as Stane’s hand wrapped around her wrist. ‘Let me go!’

‘You better get comfortable down there, kid.’ A cold smile formed on Obadiah’s face as Peter looked up at him in a panic. ‘Might be a while before you’ll get out again.’

‘No, wait!’ Peter shouted as Obadiah slammed the door shut, Cassie’s screams now muffled and far away. He panted softly, tears forming in his eyes as cold air crept into his fingers. ‘No… No! Wait, come back! Please! I’m sorry! I-’ The teen yelped, his ankle sending a wave of pain up his leg as he tried to get back on his feet. ‘Don’t leave me…’ he cried softly as he had no idea what he had done wrong. ‘Please… I’m so sorry…’

Peter crawled in on himself, hair falling in his face as he wrapped his arms around his legs. He was cold, confused and absolutely petrified. Soft sobs filled the room as tears streamed down his face.

It was a sudden rattling sound that caused him to gasp and hold his breath. The sound moved closer, metal dragging over the floor, coming from the shadows in the far back of the basement.

Peter tried to move back, his heart beating painfully fast in his chest. ‘H-hello…?’ he sniffed and whimpered as the sound did not stop, his lips trembling as he saw a foot stepping into the light. The teen quickly covered his eyes with his hands; ‘Go away! Please!’

‘It’s okay,’ a male voice, gentle and warm, whispered. ‘I won’t hurt you. I promise.’ The rattling stopped, by which Peter guessed the man had stopped moving.

The teen cautiously peered between his fingers, finding a blond man standing at the bottom of the stairs. He was standing tall, his shoulders broad and hair messy. His clothes, a simple sweatpants and white hoody, were stained and rumpled.

‘That’s better,’ he smiled, bright blue eyes glistening in pale fluorescent lights. ‘I’m Steve. Who are you?’

‘P-Peter…’ the teen whispered, muscles relaxing slightly.

‘That’s a good name.’ The blond held out his hand yet didn’t come closer. ‘Why won’t you come down, Peter?’

‘I- I can’t,’ the teen gasped as he tried to move his left foot.

‘Sprained, I bet…’ he nodded. ‘Okay, just try to grab on to the banister, use it as a support to get down. Think you can do that?’

‘… Y-yeah, I- I can do that.’ The teen did as he was told, slowly but surely moving down the steep stairs. He nearly fell as he was almost at the bottom, parts of the old wooden banister breaking underneath his weight. He yelped as Steve managed to wrap his arms around his waist, clinging on to the man for dear life. ‘What’s happening?!’ he shouted as panic started to take over. ‘Where am I?! Why did dad bring me here?! Why are _you_ here?!’ He looked the stranger up and down, eyes wide as he noticed the chain attached to the man’s ankle, his breath coming in rapid heaves. ‘W-what the hell is that for?! Are you dangerous?! Stay away from me!’

‘Woow, easy, Peter. Come on, breath. Deep breaths,’ Steve inhaled deeply, gesturing for the teen to follow his lead. They stood there for a couple of minutes before he placed a hand on the boy’s back, guiding him towards the end of the room where two simple cots awaited them.

‘Peter, I- what I am going to tell you… It’s very difficult to explain. So I need you to stay as calm as possible, okay?’

The teen sat down on the cot next to Steve, nodding slowly as his eyes remained red. He waited desperately for him to explain.

Steve took a deep breath, averting his eyes for a second. How he wanted to tell the kid that everything would be okay. How he wanted to tell him it was all a big mistake and that they would be just fine.

But he couldn’t lie.

‘This place…’ he started, voice low and heavy with emotions. ‘I wish- I really wish I could tell you what they want from you. Why you are here and what’s going to happen to you… but I can’t.’ He tried to stay calm, tried not to let Peter’s confused and desperate gaze get to him. ‘Stane adopted you, didn’t he?’

Peter gave a quick nod, ‘Me and Cassie, yes. I- I don’t know where she is now though. I don’t know where dad has taken her.’

‘I fear I know…’ Steve’s jaw set tight as a fierce anger started to burn in his eyes. ‘Stane is not a good man, Peter. He takes people; men, women, children, and brings them down here. Locks them up.’ He stared at the empty cot on the other end of the room. ‘Most of them don’t stay long…’

The teen glanced back and forth between the bed and the blond, ‘W-what happens to them? Did they leave? Do they live somewhere else?’

‘I… don’t know, exactly, but…’ he moved his hand through his hair, resting it at the back of his neck with a soft hiss. ‘You have to understand, this is not a normal home. This is a research facility.’ He looked Peter straight in the eye, nothing but honesty in his deep blue eyes. ‘And we are the guinea pigs.’

‘N-no…’ Peter muttered, chest heaving as tears slowly filled his eyes again. ‘B-but… what does that even mean? Guinea pigs for what?’

‘Drugs, mostly, I think…’ his shoulders slumped. ‘I have seen many, many people come here. All taken upstairs at some point. Most of them don’t- they don’t return. And the ones that do, well…’

‘They died, didn’t they?’ Peter’s hands were clasped into tight fists as he jumped up. ‘So now what? We just have to sit here and wait? Wait for them to come and get us? Wait to die?!’ Tears rolled over his cheeks as fear and anger made him tremble upon his feet. ‘I don’t want to die! There must be something we can do!’

‘Peter-’

‘No! Just- just because _you_ have given up, doesn’t mean I have!’ The boy stumbled towards the stairs, anger and utter panic damping the pain of his ankle as he moved towards the door.

‘Peter, don’t!’

‘Stane!’ the teen shouted from the top of his lungs. ‘Stane! Open this door!’ He raised his fist to slam them against the wood. ‘Open the d-’

He screamed as an electric shock coursing through his body the moment his fists collided with the door. He jolted backwards, feet slipping down the first step of the stairs causing him to tumble down.

He didn’t even hear Steve rushing towards him, his crying overwhelming every other sound.

‘Peter, look at me.’ The blond fell to his knees, cupping the teen’s face in his hands. His heart shattered as he seemed so lost and so scared. ‘…Come on, it’s okay. It’s okay.’ He pressed Peter against his chest and held him in his strong arms, rocking them gently back and forth. He caught a glimpse of the boy’s hands, skin already marbling with dark bruises as he kept crying.

The two stayed at the bottom of the stairs till Peter had no more tears to shed, a high pitched noise catching their attention. peter looked up from the blond’s chest, which was now damp with his tears.

‘Lights will go out soon,’ Steve explained. ‘Come on… Let’s try to get some sleep.’ He helped the teen towards their cots and sat down at his own. He watched as Peter just stood in front of his, his back towards the blond.

‘… How many?’ Peter eventually asked, not turning around.

Steve was slightly confused. ‘How many, what?’

‘How many have-’ he tried to keep his voice strong. ‘How many have died in this bed?’

‘… I didn’t keep count,’ he sighed. ‘I mean, I did, but I stopped at- at some point…’

Peter’s hand hovered over the thin sheets. How he wanted to sleep. How he wanted to lay his head to rest upon the muted pillow and pray for this all to be a nightmare, hoping he would be back in the orphanage the moment he would open his eyes.

His hand trembled however at the thought of the number of corpses who had rested on this very same mattress.

‘If you want to-’ Steve started cautiously, causing the teen to turn around. ‘You could… sleep in my bed. We’ll switch. Or, if you want me to stay…’ He smiled weakly. ‘Your call.’

Peter remained silent for a moment, then limped towards Steve’s cot. ‘Will it fit?’ he asked softly. ‘The two of us…? I-if you don’t’ mind-’

‘Uhm- yeah, no. Sure.’ He lifted the covers, gesturing for Peter to get in the bed. He lay down next to him, the chain attached to his ankle rattling as he made sure to give the teen most of the blanket. He sat up straight as he noticed that the teen started to shiver and pulled off his hoody. ‘Here,’ he offered it to Peter. ‘Might still be warm if you put it on now.’

The teen looked up, his eyes widening in shock as he saw countless scars running over Steve’s upper body. His chest, his arms, fingers, stomach, all marked with angry red lines. ‘W-what…?’

‘Oh, this?’ The blond looked at his body. ‘Yeah, not very appealing, huh?’ he shrugged, a half sided smile on his face. ‘Don’t worry about it. Try to get some sleep, okay?’

The teen nodded and put on Steve’s vest. It was indeed warm, though it smelled of dried blood and sweat. Peter’s eyes fell close, the steady rhythm of Steve’s breathing calming him down. The lights were shut off the moment he let his head rest on the pillow. He placed his hands against the blond’s abdomen, cold fingers soaking up the warmth of the other’s body. He gulped as he felt not only the scars on his skin, but something else crawling underneath as well.

Wires?

Peter’s thoughts drifted away as he quickly fell into a deep, restless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Peter and Steve coming up in the next chapter!  
> What happens to the two? How did Steve became the way he is?  
> What happens to Cassie?   
> All the answers to those questions and more!  
> Lots of love.


End file.
